Mojave, Cahuilla, Seri? Who made it?

Another mystery vessel. This piece came from a collection along the Arizona - California border. The temper has mica along with some white fleck of possible shell. There is was a cache of 10 human clay figures found in 1931 in the Coachella Valley, some of them were incised and somewhat similar to this one with round incised eyes. In 1943 a report concluded that the clay figures from the Coachella Valle were related to peripheral Hohokam. This vessel does not appear to be from the Hohokam time line. Another suggestion was that it could be Mojave considering the form and design, sometimes the designs were incised into the clay before firing then usually covered with a fugitive red iron oxide paint. Although, no traces of paint can be verified.

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Who made it? Taos, Tesuque, Picuris ????

This very unusual vessel has some mica, it has been corn cob scraped on the bottom then obliterated corrugated throught the body. It has twisted coil handles and scallop rim. The interior of the terraced elements was left unsmoothed and the coils of clay are easily seen. Could this vessel be Picuris, Taos, Tesuque, or possibly even Santa Clara? On page 132 of "All that Glitters" by Duane Anderson, a photograph of a vessel with similar attributes is stated as being Santa Clara. Believed to possibly be a copy of a micaceous smeared-indented type as noted by Kenneth Chapman.

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